After years of being obliged to pound a hand key in very strange
positions, (including at shoulder height) I agree thats its one fairly
inexpensive way to start sending code. But unless you can quickly
develop a good technique, with both the hand and the the key at the
correct height (forearm horizontal, or sloping slightly down) its easy
to get into bad habits. Wide contact gaps, heavy spring pressures etc
all lead to lousy timing and rapid exhaustion. Practice off the air,
preferably with a more experienced operator, until you feel comfortable
with what you are sending. Slow, but like a machine is good. Fast,
irregular and unreadable is not.
For comfort and ease of use, together with a bit more speed, then its
hard to beat a keyer, or a keyboard.
IAMBIC - UGH !@! I am convinced that the so-called iambic keyer owes
its design entirely to sloppy, corner-cutting programming. It can
only have been developed by a phone man. Very few useful code
combinations can be sent using it. Far more useful is the "ultimatic"
logic of yesteryear. For those unfamiliar with it, squeeze both paddles
and the last to close takes control, no mindless alternation between
dots and dashes. So a single squeeze can be a W, G, J, 7 or a 3 etc.
just by working the English on the timing of the second closure (whilst
hanging onto the first one, no need to let go). Much more user-friendly
than just squeezing an A,C, N, or a period.
Years ago I built the 12 tube Ultimatic keyer from QST; now I use the
most recent solid state version (hardly recent; its from the same
QST as contained the first review of the Drake TR-7 !!). Since then,
iambic has become fashionable, but it remains pretty useless. If only
the programmers of the beautiful Super CMOS III would see the light and
substitute Ultimatic logic for just one of those awful tedious
emulations !! Yes, I also have a Super CMOS III and yes, I did phone
the designers, but no joy.
Once you have tried it you will not go iambic again out of choice. I do
have the option, but I never use it. Auto-character space on the other
hand is never turned off.
John G3JAG - Over 40 years on CW, but now heading for my bomb shelter.
On 19-Dec-99 Paul Plasters wrote:
>
> Hi Ari;
> I am not an expert, but I will share my feelings. If you are ever
> going to
> use any going to use any thing other than a straight key, start out
> with it
> right away. I used a straight key for a while, then went to an
> IAMBIC key,
> and had to learn all over again. I love the IAMBIC keyer now that I
> am used
> to it.
> 73 and good luck, Paul K9PEP
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kathleen and Ari Avraham <avraham@cruzio.com>
> To: tentec@contesting.com <tentec@contesting.com>
To: <tentec@contesting.com>
> Date: Saturday, December 18, 1999 11:55 AM
> Subject: [TenTec] Best Straight Key
>
>
>>
>>Hi All:
>> I know that this is not a direct question about Ten-Tec
>>but please indulge me. I am a "Pre-Ham", having just
>>retired and trying to become ham. I'm studying code
>>and will take a test sometime in January. I brought
>>a Triton IV here on the reflector recently and need
>>advice on getting the best straight key to both learn
>>and to use after I get my ticket. What I am using right
>>now is just terrible, being a very old "hand-me-down".
>>Any help would be appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Ari
>> Santa Cruz, CA
>>
>>--
>>FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/tentecfaq.htm
>>Submissions: tentec@contesting.com
>>Administrative requests: tentec-REQUEST@contesting.com
>>Problems: owner-tentec@contesting.com
>>Search: http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
> --
> FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/tentecfaq.htm
> Submissions: tentec@contesting.com
> Administrative requests: tentec-REQUEST@contesting.com
> Problems: owner-tentec@contesting.com
> Search: http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm
----------------------------------
E-Mail: John - G3JAG <patents@dx0man.prestel.co.uk>
To: <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: 19-Dec-99
Time: 21:33:54
This message was sent by XFMail
----------------------------------
--
FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/tentecfaq.htm
Submissions: tentec@contesting.com
Administrative requests: tentec-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems: owner-tentec@contesting.com
Search: http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm
|